Narrative Spaceships

[b_bankhead]

One of the most important characters in any kind of show begining with the work 'Star' is usually given short shrift in discussions of narrative games.

   That character of cours is the Spaceship. Quite simply without the Battlestar Galactica, Jupiter 2, Uss Enterprise and so on none of these series premises would be possible.  And over time the quirks and characteristics of the ship tend to make it one of the most active and important of the characters of the series.  Indeed whole series premises can hang on ONE quality of the ship! (The Robinson's wouldnt have been lost in space if the navigigation computer worked right...)
   And of course the ship and its problems are an otherwise endless source of plot devices and drama (the engines can nay stand the strain...).  

Using the 'Pool' as an example, I have decided to write up a spaceship as if it were a standard character for the game.

TTA(Thruspace Trade Authority) 'Wanderer'
The Wanderer was originally a starforce marines landing craft that was severely damaged by enemy fire during an assault, it was sold for salvage and a warp drive was installed to turn it into an interstellar craft. It has superior atmopheric handling and keeps  military grade avionics and sensors as well as mountings for heavier guns than the light particle cannon it keeps.

    Former Starforce Marine Landing Craft +2
    Retrofitted Warp Drive
    Superior Atmospheric Handling    +4
    Military Grade Avionics/Sensors   +3
    Light Particle Cannon
    Heavy Weapons Mounts

In play the ship would act as a kind of trait pool that may be dipped into for the characters, for example if the Pilot is trying to land the ship in a storm he might get the +4 for its amospheric handling, or if the science officer it trying to scan something he might get the plus for the sensors. Whenever anyone made a succesfull roll he gets to MOV the act of using the ships trait.

Now that I have thrown this bone out, anybody want to elaborate on the potential?

[Andrew Martin]

Now that I have thrown this bone out, anybody want to elaborate on the potential?

I think one needs a way of including a ship's flaws as well, like a hyperdrive that is unreliable, a navigation computer that doesn't work or is inaccurate, or a hull that was seriously damaged by enemy fire. :) I don't think one needs to "buy" traits for these; it seems a bit harsh on players to make them buy a fault!

Instead I'd use a technique from Nobilis, where faults are free at design time, but give a reward to the players when "invoked" during play. For example: "Don't worry, this baby's got the legs to get clean away from that enemy cruiser!" Whoop, whoop, whoop -- hyper-drive failure! And all the players who's character's lives are made more complicated by the hyperdrive failure get a reward.

[Mike Holmes]

I think you've got a neat idea in general terms. The thing is, is this set in The Pool just as an example, or are you actually suggesting this as an adjunct of The Pool. If the former, there's not really much to say, other than to ask what you intend to use it for. If the latter, we can talk about all sorts of ramifications, like whether or not the Trait dipped into stacks with the PCs, or is just used instead.

Mike

[b_bankhead]

I think you've got a neat idea in general terms. The thing is, is this set in The Pool just as an example, or are you actually suggesting this as an adjunct of The Pool.

Mike

Both actually ,I want to design an SF oriented game with some director stance which lets the player customize the enfironment and play style.
It might be a good idea for players of the pool to consider some way to add character disadvantages to the system.

[Mike Holmes]

Both actually ,I want to design an SF oriented game with some director stance which lets the player customize the enfironment and play style.
It might be a good idea for players of the pool to consider some way to add character disadvantages to the system.

Well, as far as The Pool goes then, what about that question, then. How are players limited in their use of these group Traits? I assume that you would use such a Trait as a replacement for one of your own, else you can expect to win pretty frequently withought gambling dice. But if that's the case, then a player has to choose between his "Pilot" Trait, and the ship's "Handling" Trait. Seems problematic either way. Who selects these Traits, in what manner, and how are they limited?

The problem I see is that certain Ship Traits are going to play to certain characters. The handling Trait belongs to the Helmsman character, essentiall. The Drive Traits belong to the engineer, etc. As such why not just make them part of the character?

Mike

[Andrew Martin]

The problem I see is that certain Ship Traits are going to play to certain characters. The handling Trait belongs to the Helmsman character, essentiall. The Drive Traits belong to the engineer, etc. As such why not just make them part of the character?

I'd like to keep them separate, but with good rules for combining traits from multiple sources (which would also cover group actions). This is because the sentient ship is fairly common in SF.

[Mike Holmes]

I'd like to keep them separate, but with good rules for combining traits from multiple sources (which would also cover group actions). This is because the sentient ship is fairly common in SF.

I would too. But barring a player taking the ship as a PC (happened once in a Universalis game I played), the question becomes one of mechanics. How to do this in The Pool, and not break the system. Simple addition is going to pretty well break it, I think.

Mike